Thursday, January 24, 2008

Stitch Marker Exchange

I signed up tp take part in the latest round of the Stitch Marker Exchange. I decided to try 2 partners for my first time out. I would make and send 2 sets and receive 2 sets. Sounded simple enough (and fun!). Then I started worrying about what to do! I am such a worrier... I made quite a few sets and then had some of my knitting pals help me choose which to send. They were to be mailed by 1/15 but by the time I got to the post office, they were closed. I went the following day and made it! 1 set headed of to Angie in England and 1 set to Betty in Hawaii... I hope they make it soon!

I also received 2 sets of beautiful stitch markers, and on the same day (Saturday, January 12th)!
from Melissa...

and from Laurie.

Thank you so much ladies!

Waffle House Mickey



After knitting Tuesday, Jeff, Beth, and I headed to Waffle House where Beth and I decided to order waffles. Can't tell you why, but the waitress asked if we wanted Mickey Mouse waffles. We both said 'yes.' Who could resist Mickey?!?!?

Monday, January 21, 2008

Are you sick of e-mail forwards?!?!?!?

This came via e-mail forward but...
here it goes anyway!

For those of you who are sick of getting e-mails that tell you to forward it to at least X number of people in the next 15 minutes so that wonderful things and miracles will happen if you do, or there will be serious consequences if you don't, then you will enjoy this.

This is hilarious! (and it's ABOUT TIME someone did this!)

click here

Meanest Mom on the Planet

DES MOINES, Iowa — Jane Hambleton has dubbed herself the "meanest mom on the planet."

After finding alcohol in her son's car, she decided to sell the car and share her 19-year-old's misdeed with everyone — by placing an ad in the local newspaper.

The ad reads: "OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."

Hambleton has heard from people besides interested buyers since recently placing the ad in The Des Moines Register.

The 48-year-old from Fort Dodge says she has fielded more than 70 telephone calls from emergency room technicians, nurses, school counselors and even a Georgia man who wanted to congratulate her.

"The ad cost a fortune, but you know what? I'm telling people what happened here," Hambleton says. "I'm not just gonna put the car for resale when there's nothing wrong with it, except the driver made a dumb decision.

"It's overwhelming the number of calls I've gotten from people saying 'Thank you, it's nice to see a responsible parent.' So far there are no calls from anyone saying, 'You're really strict. You're real overboard, lady."'

The only critic is her son, who Hambleton says is "very, very unhappy" with the ad and claims the alcohol was left by a passenger.

Hambleton believes her son but has decided mercy isn't the best policy in this case. She says she set two rules when she bought the car at Thanksgiving: No booze, and always keep it locked.

The car has been sold, but Hambleton says she will continue the ad for another week — just for the feedback.

I love it!! (But I think oshe stole my title!)

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Changing plans

The sweater of 2 posts ago has undergone a slight change.
Although both Fleece Artist yarns had the same blue in them, together they just weren't quite doing it for me. And since the one was thinner, I had to knit on smaller needles with 1/3 more stitches, and I was going through it quickly. I was worried about running out of yarn.
Tia came to OH this weekend and I was able to catch up with her for a bit at the yarn store yesterday. She was picking out yarn for Eric's sweater and I looked for a replacement. After trying a number of different colors and yarns, a Cascade 220 blue was chosen. It was similar to the Fleece Artist but came in higher quantities. I was all set to go. Then....
I ended up stumbling over 3 hanks of Malabrigo in a beautiful deep blue-green called Tuareg. It's not really a color in the blue-green Fleece Artist but it definitely 'flows better' (that's Steve's term) so today I frogged the 6" of cable rib I had done on the 2 sleeves with the Fleece Artist. I rewound the old and wound up 2 of the Malabrigo and away I went. I've got the 6" redone. Not sure how much more I'll do on the sleeves (I tend to wear shorter sleeves or I push them up and out of the way) and then I have the bottom of the body followed by the button band.

I haven't worked on the Uptown Boot Socks any more. I really think they're going to get ripped out.
I did finally settle on a needle for Mermaid Socks. I swatched so many times and never liked the way it came out. This time, I just went with it on US1 again and this time it was OK. I cast on Friday night and worked the entire cuff yesterday. This morning I turned the heel. And then tried it on. It goes on, but it's 'snug' shall we say?!?! And so it pulls the patterning out so much that it loses the effect. Do I rip that one too????
Maybe it's just time to do my Jaywalkers out of some purple Lorna's Laces I got from Merlin the Cat Yarns a few months ago....

On a fun, non-knitting note, It was Steve's birthday yesterday (41). We went to the Funny Bone comedy club down at Newport on the Levy. We went once before and had a great time. The emcee/performer was ok. Then it was on to a guy from Cleveland. He had us rolling, especially with the comparisons between the Browns and the Bengals! And then the headliner: Finesse Mitchell. He was on Saturday Night Live from '03-'06, has a book out, and is in the upcoming movie, Mad Money. He was great! Before we knew it, time was up. We go to the early show to avoid the smoking so they can't run over and still be able to get ready for the next round. If you get a chance to see him, do it!

So close...

School was supposed to reopen Wednesday 1/2 but it snowed. There was 4" on the car when I left for work. I drove the old car since it's a stick and I had no problems. Steve stayed home with the boys.
Thursday was cold and some of the salt-melted snow had refrozen as ice but we all headed out to school and work anyway.
Friday brought a wrestling match for Brian after school. And weather finally did not get in the way!!
He was up 24-11 in the 3rd round with only 15.7 seconds left. Then he got pinned.
He handled it well. And sometimes a loss is a good learning thing.
He's got 3 big all day meets the next three Saturdays and a couple of smaller duals after school (some of the rescheduled meets from December snow days) before the end of the season/end of January. Busy, busy...
Good luck Bri!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Drive-By Fiber Fun


My current attempt at socks: Uptown boot Socks in Pace. Not sure I like the way it's coming out tho... I may frog and try something else...

2 skeins of Sea Silk from Steve for Christmas. Is there a lace shawl or stole in my future?!?!?

My first pair of Galaxy socks. 3x1 rib, US 1, Magic Loop, 2 at once, short row garter stitch heel and toe. And it turns out I like the way the inside looks, too (sock on the right) so I may do 1x3 rib on a future pair...

New stash, possibly for Fawkes socks...
Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in 'Flames' colorway.

Tried this Hanauma Bay Socks pattern before with a different yarn. Not the right combo. Was also agonizing over what to make with this yarn from Bob when he went to Italy. It is Sesia Mistral Baby, 100% fine merino. Now, this is a combination! Sooooo soft - thanks Bob!

Let it snow!! He was originally supposed to be a Christmas gift but... I just couldn't part with Pete - he's too cute!

More yarn stash, Araucania Ranco in green and red from Chile....


Bennet's wife wanted new house socks for Christmas. He wanted red and green and lacey and warm. Hmmmmm....
Toe-to-Cuff Lace Rib socks in Lion Wool. Hope she likes them!

1 skein of Fleece Artist Blue Faced Leicester Aran (blue-green) and 1 skein of Fleece Artist Blue Faced Leicester DK (blue) from Steve for my birthday and Christmas. That is now being turned into:

Mr Greenjeans from Knitty.com
A top-down pattern so I can work till I run out of yarn!
The top is the Aran worked on size 8 US, using the size M stitchcount. I worked the body to the point where it changed to the cable rib pattern. Clipped the yarn and then used both ends of the remaining yarn to work both sleeves at once. And I used every inch!
For the cable rib section, I added the DK, switched to size 7 US needles, and the stitchcount for the size L.
I am working the sleeves first (the cable ribs start higher on mine than the pattern because of the limits of the blue-green) and then will work the body and the button band with the remaining blue DK. I think it will work!